This Is How It Always Starts
Grandaddy Lyrics


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This is how it always starts
All order falls apart
Okay, so who put this key in the mix?

Things were stable yesterday
But now they're blown away
Oh shit, I can't let them see me like this
Nothing sweet
Nothing nice
Nothing kiss, only fights

Nothing clear
Nothing bright
Nothing I'll feel tonight

Nothing great
Nothing good
Nothing is as it should

Nothing rad
Nothing right
Nothing I'll feel tonight

This is how it always starts
Dumb choices from the heart
Oh shit, I can't let them see me like this

Nothing sweet
Nothing nice
Nothing kiss, only fights

Nothing clear
Nothing bright
Nothing I'll feel tonight

Nothing great
Nothing good
Nothing is as it should

Nothing rad




Nothing right
Nothing I'll feel tonight

Overall Meaning

The song "This Is How It Always Starts" by Grandaddy tells the story of a person who feels like their life is falling apart. The lyrics suggest that things were stable in the past, but now everything has been blown away. The line "Okay, so who put this key in the mix?" implies that someone else has caused this chaos, perhaps by introducing something unexpected or unwanted into the situation.


The singer is ashamed of their current state and doesn't want anyone to see them like this. The repetition of "Oh shit, I can't let them see me like this" further emphasizes this feeling of embarrassment and vulnerability. The chorus repeats the phrase "nothing sweet, nothing nice, nothing kiss, only fights" to suggest that the situation is bleak and that there is no hope for a happy outcome. The list of negative adjectives that follows in each verse ("nothing clear, nothing bright, nothing great, nothing good, nothing rad, nothing right") serves to reinforce this idea.


Overall, the song seems to be about feeling trapped in a situation that is spiraling out of control. Despite the singer's initial disbelief that things could change so suddenly, they seem resigned to the fact that this is just how life is. The final line of the song "Nothing I'll feel tonight" suggests that the singer has given up hope for any kind of positive emotions in the near future.


Line by Line Meaning

This is how it always starts
Every disaster begins the same way


All order falls apart
Things quickly become chaotic


Okay, so who put this key in the mix?
Expressing confusion and frustration about how the situation got so out of control


Things were stable yesterday
The situation was under control in the recent past


But now they're blown away
The situation has deteriorated rapidly


Oh shit, I can't let them see me like this
Feeling ashamed and afraid to show vulnerability


Nothing sweet
No comfort or pleasure


Nothing nice
No kindness or compassion


Nothing kiss, only fights
No love, only conflict


Nothing clear
No clarity or understanding


Nothing bright
No hope or optimism


Nothing I'll feel tonight
No positive emotions to be had in the present moment


Nothing great
No remarkable achievements or successes


Nothing good
No positive outcomes or experiences


Nothing is as it should
The current situation is not in line with how it was supposed to be


Nothing rad
No excitement or fun


Nothing right
No justice or fairness




Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: JASON LYTLE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Shawn Black

Quite possibly the saddest song ever written. Amazing how pain can me turned into something this beautiful. Simply....genius

gardenolove

I've listened to this song about 12 times in a row now (it hasn't changed the counter.) I...just...can't...stop.......

changemytone

One of the all-time great songs

poliwax

I used to listen to this song 10 years ago, and now it still hits my soul :D

That One Song

Thank you Grandaddy forputting the story of my alcoholism into perspective.

A.R.S

This... is how it always starts, dumb choices from the heart.. Always loved that line.

LastGiantPanda

sounds like MASTERPIECE!

Johnny

lots of people don't realize that everyone around them has a story and a life to tell life is weird.

Trevo Studen

its as weird as an astronaut cat

Kreso Caren

Jason lytle.....one of those Syd Barretts , Robyn Hitchcock's. Great..... No thing could compare to gd..…....maybe pure love....

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